This application relates generally to the field of fishing. More particularly, to outriggers associated with powerboats and the trolling of fishing lines outward and astern of a vessel.
In sport fishing, a traditional practice is the trolling of baits astern of the fishing vessel. To increase the number of baits that can be trolled at one time, outrigger devices are employed to hold the lines at spaced intervals parallel to the vessel""s direction of travel, and creating sufficient distance between the lines to avoid their becoming entangled.
In the prior art, outriggers usually are formed of a tubular or pipe-like unit that extends outwardly from the sides of a fishing vessel. The unit is often adjustable between an inboard or stowed position and an extended or trolling position. On larger sport fishing boats, outrigger devices are of the tubular mast type, and have a pivot at their inboard ends that is permanently attached to a vertical portion of the cabin or some other part of the boat superstructure. Boom elements enable the outrigger to be firmly held in the stowage or trolling positions while permitting easy transition between each position. Outriggers of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,050 to Rupp, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,064, to Rupp, III.
On smaller fishing boats, the outrigger devices are less complicated than the tubular mast type used on larger sport fishing boats. Typically, such outriggers comprise only a single length of tubing that has a pivot at the inboard end that is connected or inserted to the gunwale or equivalent horizontal surface of the boat, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,259 to Zornes. These are often operated with a specifically designed gunwale mount, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,102 to Rupp, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,196 to Slatter, and are easily removable from the vessel. This design, mounting, and use has been refined for use with permanently attached aluminum structures over the helm of vessels such as T-tops or arches, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,346 to Rupp.
The present invention further advances the art of outrigger design for use on smaller fishing boats by providing an outrigger and supporting apparatus that extends a fishing line outwardly from the vessel while holding the fishing rod to which the extended fishing line is connected. The device may be inserted into a standard flush mounted rod holder, such as those installed into the gunwales of most fishing vessels. No specific mounting device will be necessary for operation.
It is the object of this invention to provide an outrigger that will support a traditional fishing rod used for trolling, and will extend the line from the fishing rod outwardly from the side of the fishing vessel. The outward extension of the fishing line from the fishing vessel is achieved by using a boom that is adjustable from an inboard or stowed position to an outward or trolling position.
Another object of this invention is to allow rotational movement of the boom about a vertical axis to ensure the desired orientation of the boom with respect to the gunwale of the fishing vessel.
Still another object of this invention is to utilize a pulley system to adjust the distance along the boom that the trolled fishing line will be maintained. In conjunction with the pulley system, a quick release clip will be used to hold the fishing line outward from the vessel while trolling and will release the fishing line when rapid pressure is applied to the trolled bait.
Still another object of this invention is have an outrigger apparatus that is received and supported within a standard flush mounted rod holder, making specially designed gunwale mounts unnecessary.